Gun laws no assault on rights

Sensible gun legislation is no threat to Second Amendment rights. Although there is no one solution to violence by the use of a gun, the death of many people could be avoided by outlawing assault weapons and high capacity gun clips, as well as requiring background checks on everyone purchasing a gun. Polls show that a large majority of responsible gun owners support such legislation.

In his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama said that victims of gun violence and their families deserve a vote ("We deserve a vote," Feb. 17). I would add that all Americans deserve to know how their legislators vote on these issues. In light of the carnage we are experiencing, we must not let this moment in history pass. Now is the time to take action.